Congress creates uproar in RS over naming of Hyderabad airport

New Delhi: Congress members on Thursday forced two brief adjournments in Rajya Sabha over the naming of Hyderabad domestic airport, contending that Rajiv Gandhi's name has been removed and should be restored.

When the House met for the day, V Hanumantha Rao (Cong) raised the issue of a section of the Hyderabad airport being renamed as NT Rama Rao Domestic Terminal.

"They want to take political mileage," he said.

Deputy Chairman P J Kurien told Rao that he was not the only person having love for Rajiv Gandhi.

The matter, he said, was raised yesterday by Anand Sharma, Deputy Leader of the Congress party in Rajya Sabha, to which Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had responded.

"Now you can't raise it again in Zero Hour. If you want to raise it again give proper notice," he said as Congress members trooped into the Well shouting slogans as former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh kept watching from his seat.

"What you are doing is indiscipline. If you want discussion (on the issue), give proper notice," Kurien said, adding, "Please go back to you seats."

As the members did not relent, he adjourned the House for 10 minutes.

When the House reassembled, similar scenes were witnessed and it was again adjourned for 10 minutes.

NT Rama Rao had founded the Telgu Desam Party (TDP), which is now in power in Andhra Pradesh and is also part of ruling coalition at the Centre. Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapati Raju is a member of TDP.